Definition
A synthetic opioid pain reliever (analgesic) used medically to treat moderate to severe pain. As a central nervous system depressant, it causes drowsiness, impaired judgment, slowed reaction time, and reduced coordination, and is therefore disqualifying for flight while it remains active in the body.
Plain English
A prescription painkiller in the same family as morphine. It dulls pain but also dulls the mind and reflexes, so a pilot cannot safely fly while it is in their system.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA drug and medical fitness discussions, especially when reviewing medications that can impair a pilot.
Derivation
Meperidine is a brand-neutral name coined in the 1930s for the synthetic compound also known as pethidine. The name has no everyday English meaning, which matters: a pilot reading a prescription label may not recognize it as an opioid unless they know the term.
Why Pilots Care
Its use impairs alertness and judgment, requiring pilots to stop flying until medically cleared.
Grounding Statement
A medicine that dulls strong pain can also dull the alertness and quick decision-making a pilot needs.
Intuition Check
Do not assume that “prescribed by a doctor” means “safe for flying.” A medication can be legal to take and still make a pilot unsafe in the cockpit.
Example Sentence 1
After her dental surgery, the pilot was prescribed meperidine for pain and grounded herself until the medication had fully worn off.
Example Sentence 2
Meperidine appears on the list of medications that disqualify a pilot from flying until effects subside.